Housings or packages for electronics are known. Such housings have taken many forms and have addressed many problems. Most such housings and associated techniques are not particularly useful where the application dictates severe constraints on the physical dimensions of the housing. Newly emerging applications with such size constraints include, for example, those defined by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). Presently defined standards include a type I, type II, and type III package size. Generally these packages are 85.6 millimeters (mm) by 54 mm by, respectively, 3.3, 5, or 10 mm in thickness.
For these PCMCIA packages various approaches have been proposed, including essentially a frame and relatively thin covers secured to the frame by either adhesives or albeit small but nevertheless conventional mechanical fasteners or screws. This approach to a housing, while satisfying the size requirements presents problems regarding assembly efficiency, electromagnetic shielding, and possibly aesthetics.
Another approach, commercially available, that in summary represents a frame together with covers intended to lock over the periphery of the frame presents problems of housing or package integrity in many environments and does not provide satisfactory electromagnetic shielding.
Practitioners have used a two piece shield for internal applications. Generally this includes a peripheral fence that is rigidly attached to a carrier and a cover that interlocks to the fence to provide an electromagnetic shield. Unfortunately this approach requires a rigidly fixed fence, is not sufficiently esthetically pleasing for an exterior package or housing, and the interlocking details may be subject to damage if used in an external application. Thus a clear need exists for a rugged esthetically pleasing housing that may be efficiently assembled and used for electromagnetic shielding.